It Happened One Night
by KAJ
Summary: It all happened one night but here you have the consequences of Helen's night with... stay tuned to find out (it's not a new character), extra *hint* for the stroyline - strech marks


A/N: We, K*AJ, consisting of members #116730 (Kate) and #253158 (Alicia Jo Twain), after finding many things in common (like old movies, but *really* old movies, views on the death penalty and Madonna), have decided to write a joint fanfic of The Practice, seeing as our favorite character is Helen. Feel free to drop us an email any time you like.  
  
This first chapter is written by me, AJ Twain, while the next will be written by my dear Katie. We both have other work on the site that you might want to check out, as well as our profiles (seeing as we're too busy = lazy, to do it just yet, but it will come up soon.)  
  
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It Happened One Night  
  
by K*AJ  
  
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Chapter 1: There's Something in the Air... This Morning  
  
by AJTwain  
  
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It is another Monday morning in the life of the Boston population.  
  
Two of our favorite officers of the court are getting ready for work. Eleanor is in the kitchen making coffee and Helen is getting dressed in her room.  
  
"So, any interesting case coming up for you?" Helen says through the open door, while quickly trying to put her black panti-hose on without ripping it.  
  
"Don't know, nothing yet. Last week I had a pro-bono case. It was supposed to be over in a day, but it lasted 4. Pretty boring."  
  
"What was it about?"  
  
"Oh, just some nut who ran across a kids' playground letting cocaine spill from a plastic bag," Eleanor replies while yawning.  
  
"He did it on purpose?"  
  
"He didn't say so, but witnesses claimed to have heard him yell 3 times, "Taste this kids, it's cocaine, so the government can control you!""  
  
"So what did he get?"  
  
"Nothing, just had to promise not to do it again."  
  
"Why did it take so long?"  
  
"Coz he was claiming to be innocent, that he was actually talking to his kids."  
  
"He has kids?" Helen inquired, surprised.  
  
"No, but he claims he does and that they were running with him through the playground all the time."  
  
"He seems a little delusional."  
  
"He is."  
  
"How come the judge let him off so easily?"  
  
"As it turned out, it was salt, not cocaine."  
  
"Is he getting any help?"  
  
"Yeah, he has to see a shrink every other day."  
  
"What social worker did he get? I mean, are you sure he'll be going to see the shrink?"  
  
"That's the funny thing, he's more than thrilled, coz they told him he cold watch the X-Files. Seems to be a huge fan," Eleanor chuckles.  
  
Amused, Helen says, "No wonder," if not mockingly.  
  
"Are you dressed already??!! The coffee's ready and it's late."  
  
"I'm coming!" yells Helen.  
  
In a minute or two, Helen appears, coming out of her room, looking spic n span, as usual, except for her hair, which is not done yet.  
  
Captivated by the smell of the coffee, Helen is in a daze, "Oh that heavenly scent. I'd give---"  
  
All of a sudden she feels a horrible turn in her stomach and something coming up her intestines. She quickly runs to the bathroom, leaving Eleanor with a blank face. Helen kneels by the toilet and throws up one time and another, feeling like her insides were just run over by an 18-wheeler. As she sits on the floor of the bathroom she feels another wave of vomit come and continues to throw up.  
  
"Helen? Are you OK?" Eleanor hollers, alarmingly, not sure whether she should go and check up on Helen or give her privacy.  
  
As Helen yells back, "Yeah, I'm fine," Eleanor opts for the latter waiting for Helen to come out.  
  
Back in the bathroom Helen feels like she's thrown up her whole digestive system, and hoping it's over, she splashes her face, and joins Eleanor in the kitchen, drying her face with a blue towel.  
  
"What happened?" Eleanor asks, accentuating her concern.  
  
"Nothing, I just felt a little nauseated," Helen replies, while feeling like crap, wanting Eleanor to stop prying, although she knows her friend is only concerned for her well-being.  
  
"Didn't sound like "a little" to me," Eleanor is trying to hide her curiosity at Helen's reluctance to say anything.  
  
"Oh, Eleanor, it's nothing, don't worry about it."  
  
"Then what was it?"  
  
"It must've been something I ate last night," breaking the eye-contact.  
  
"And you'd have the reaction to it only now??" Eleanor still very skeptic and wondering why Helen is being so secretive.  
  
"I don't know! Maybe my body works slower than other people's."  
  
Eleanor replies very sarcastically, "I doubt it."  
  
"What's THAT supposed to mean??" Helen getting a little pissed.  
  
"Oh... nothing."  
  
Helen feels Eleanor is on the verge of something, which is nerve-wrecking that her own roommate can't respect her privacy, "Eleanor!!!"  
  
"It just seems more like morning sickness to me."  
  
"Ha ha. You couldn't think that I'm... I can't even say it."  
  
"I don't know," Eleanor says, getting a little offended, "I just know what I see."  
  
"And what do you see?" asks Helen matter-of-factly, with her hands on her hips.  
  
"A woman whose biological clock is ticking."  
  
"You can't be serious," Helen is getting very impatient now and can't figure out why Eleanor won't let it go, it's not like she was in fact pregnant.  
  
"Remember, I've been there, I know what morning sickness is like."  
  
"well, it's couldn't be... It's impossible," Helen replies, trying to keep her cool.  
  
"Is it REALLY impossible?" Eleanor knows she is pushing the envelope but can't help it seeing as she feels Helen is hiding something.  
  
"Of course, I can't remember the last time I..." Helen's voice trails off.  
  
All of a sudden Helen's face changes from one of decisiveness to one of anxiousness.  
  
Helen almost whispers, "...well there WAS that one time..."  
  
"There always is just one time..." says Eleanor, in a I-told-you-so manner.  
  
"No, really. It was a one time thing."  
  
"I never figured you for one of those."  
  
Helen very irritated at first, "What did you figure me for, then?!"  
  
Eleanor just keeps quiet and Helen realizes she was too defensive, so she backs down, "Oh Eleanor, it wasn't like that. It's not like I don't know him. I've known him for ages actually. He's one of the best people I know, but not many people see that."  
  
"So what happened?"  
  
"I don't know... We were both feeling lonely; we'd had a long day. I told him I wanted to go somewhere where nobody knew us, so we drove out to Cape Cod and had a drink at a hotel bar. After we were told they were closing it turned out to be midnight and both of us were too tired to drive back so we took a room.  
  
"Whoa! One room?!!" Eleanor is clearly shocked.  
  
"It's not what you think! We hadn't enough money with us to get two, coz it was some expensive hotel. I didn't really care, all I wanted to do was sleep."  
  
"Then you just decided to make a baby??" Eleanor implies ironically.  
  
Helen replies defensively, "No!! ...I don't know... We got to our room and stayed up talking for a while. When he thought I was asleep I heard him begging the Lord for forgiveness for something, he was actually crying. I couldn't just leave him like that. I went over to hug him and... You can't believe how gentle he was, it was like..."  
  
"OK, OK, I don't need the gory details."  
  
"Well that's it."  
  
"Are you going to tell him?"  
  
"I have to be sure first. Besides he's already got a son, I dunno if he wants another child."  
  
"It's not Bobby, is it??"  
  
Helen, shocked beyond words, "God, no!!! What's wrong with you Eleanor??!!!"  
  
"Oh, OK. I don't know, him having a son, having known him long, you wanted to go where no one knew you... I don know..."  
  
"How could you even think that I could do such a thing to Lindsay?"  
  
"I'm sorry."  
  
There's an awkward silence as both women stare at their shoes, not knowing how to resume.  
  
Helen regains herself, "OK, it's late, we should get going."  
  
"Yeah, and we're stopping at the pharmacy on the way."  
  
Helen, doing her hair, "Why?"  
  
"To get a pregnancy test, that's why!!!"  
  
"Oh, OK! But not a word of this to anyone!! Not to Lindsay, not anyone! You hear?"  
  
"OK, OK, what's all the secrecy about?" Eleanor says as she and Helen head for the door.  
  
"Look who's talking?! How long were you pregnant before we found out?" Helen retorts teasingly.  
  
"OK, OK, cross my heart and hope to die."  
  
Helen gets a little serious, "I mean it, Eleanor, if I hear you spilled the beans you are going to have to look for another roommate and babysitter."  
  
"Didn't know it was THAT serious. OK, I won't say a word."  
  
"Thank you," Helen says genuinely as they leave the apartment building and head for work.  
  
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A/N: You liked? Well we'd really appreciate it if you could just click the review button and drop us a line :o) 


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